Optimise Agriculture

Unfair Harvest

U Myint Oo. Photo and video credit: Karol Kowalski

This is U Myint Oo

U Myint Oo has four daughters. He depends on his earnings from farming to support their education and secure their livelihoods. After five to six months in the field, U Myint Oo makes only 5000 kyat, equivalent to 3.20 USD, for one bag of rice. All his profits are spent paying back loans.

If he could earn 1000 kyat more per bag, it would be enough to cover the cost of living for his family. Watch the video to hear the words of U Myint Oo himself.

A New Life

Phone Myint Thu. Photo and video credit: Karol Kowalski

This is Phone Myint Thu

After quitting his job in the government, Phone Myint Thu started working full time as a rice farmer. For a whole year, he went everyday to the local shops to ask the customers to try his rice. He also started going to other farmers to buy their rice and grind it before selling it at the market.

Phone Myint Thu went back and forth between the farmers and the market, working hard to establish himself as a middleman. Learn more about his story in the video below.

The Smallholder Community

Photos Credit: Karol Kowalski

Agriculture is the main source of livelihood for over 70 % of Myanmar population and considered as a driver for economic development. A total of 53 million acres of land are used for crop cultivation and 95% of the work is done by smallholder farmers. Source: Food and Agriculture Organization (2019)

Presenting AgriMatch

Empowering by connecting

AgriMatch is a mobile application that creates equal access to opportunities in the agri-value chain by connecting middlemen and farmers.

Based on geolocation, AgriMatch empowers small-scale farmers as they can choose from several nearby middlemen who are verified trustworthy based on ratings. Moreover, AgriMatch functions as a collaboration platform, where farmers are enabled to team up to sell their crops and produce to middlemen – ultimately magnifying their bargaining power and strengthening local farming communities. Middlemen equally benefit from farmers selling collectively, as they can save time and transportation costs by buying more crops or produce in one go.

Try the prototype

#WhatWasTheFarmerPaid

Smallholder farmers are the most vulnerable in the agri-value chain and are being exploited by middlemen. With unfair prices, they are stuck in a vicious cycle of poverty. Take a photo of your food with the hashtag #WhatWasTheFarmerPaid to show your support!

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